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How 1 in 4 older adults regain happiness after struggling

Almost one in four adults aged 60 and older who initially reported poor well-being managed to regain a state of optimal well-being within three years, according to research published on September 24, 2025, in PLOS One by Mabel Ho and Esme Fuller-Thomson of the University of Toronto, Canada. The findings emphasize the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle through actions such as keeping a stable body weight, avoiding smoking, staying physically active, improving sleep, and preventing or managing chronic illnesses. The study also underscores the role of psychological, emotional, and social wellness in overall quality of life.
Interest in understanding what drives resilience and long-term well-being is growing. Many lifestyle choices can influence the ability to maintain good health and happiness, defined in this research as a combination of physical, psychological, emotional, social, and self-rated well-being, even in the presence of chronic conditions. However, only a small number of studies have focused on what helps people recover or regain a strong sense of well-being later in life after experiencing difficulty.
Using data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging, Ho and Fuller-Thomson analyzed 8,332 adults who did not initially meet the criteria for optimal well-being and followed up with them three years later, when all participants were at least 60 years old.
They discovered that nearly one-quarter of these participants had achieved optimal well-being by the end of that period. Those who already showed signs of psychological and emotional wellness at the beginning were nearly five times more likely to recover full well-being than those who did not.
The likelihood of regaining well-being was also higher among participants who were younger (under 70 years old), married, and earning incomes above the poverty line. Better outcomes were linked to being physically active, not smoking, sleeping well, and avoiding chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, arthritis, or osteoporosis.
Because all Canadian citizens and permanent residents have access to publicly funded healthcare, the researchers note that these results may not apply to countries where medical care depends on the ability to pay. They also caution that the findings may not extend to low- and middle-income nations.
If future research establishes that the associations observed in the current study are causal, policies and interventions that support physical, psychological, emotional, social, and self-rated wellness might help older adults to regain optimal well-being. For example, programs and services can be provided to encourage older adults to engage in an active and healthy lifestyle, to manage chronic conditions, and to prevent social isolation. According to the authors, these interventions might play an important role in enhancing older adults' resilience and enabling them to regain optimal well-being in later life.
"What's powerful about this research is the reminder that later life can still be fulfilling, even after difficult periods. Good health is important, but so are the people, meaning, and joy we have in our lives," says first author Mabel Ho, a recent doctoral graduate at the University of Toronto's Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work (FIFSW) and the Institute of Life Course and Aging.
"This is a clear call to invest in prevention, financial stability, and accessible wellness supports -- because these aren't just smart policies, they can potentially improve the trajectory of aging for older adults who are struggling," says senior author Esme Fuller-Thomson, Director of the Institute for Life Course & Aging and Professor at the University of Toronto's Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work.
Breakthrough compounds may reverse nerve damage caused by multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a long-term autoimmune condition that affects over 2.9 million people around the world. In MS, the immune system mistakenly attacks the myelin sheath, a protective layer that insulates nerve fibers. This damage interrupts communication between the brain and body, leading to symptoms such as numbness, tingling, vision problems, and paralysis.
Although existing treatments can help reduce inflammation, there are still no approved therapies that protect neurons or rebuild the damaged myelin sheath. Scientists have now made significant progress toward that goal with support from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Their work has led to the discovery of two compounds capable of promoting remyelination, the process of repairing the myelin coating on nerve fibers.
The study, published in Scientific Reports, was led by Seema Tiwari-Woodruff, a professor of biomedical sciences at the University of California, Riverside, School of Medicine, and John Katzenellenbogen, a professor of chemistry at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). The research was funded through two National MS Society initiatives: a standard investigator-initiated grant and the organization's Fast Forward program, which accelerates commercialization of promising research.
"Our work represents more than a decade of collaboration, with the last four years focused on identifying and optimizing new drug candidates that show strong potential to treat MS and possibly other neurological diseases involving demyelination," Tiwari-Woodruff said.
With this support, the team launched a drug development program that has since been licensed by Cadenza Bio, Inc. Backed by investor funding, the company has continued advancing the research and is preparing for clinical testing of what could become a first-of-its-kind treatment for people with MS.
From discovery to development
This new work builds on earlier studies involving a compound called indazole chloride, which had shown promise in promoting myelin repair and regulating immune responses in mouse models of MS. However, indazole chloride lacked the chemical properties and patent potential required for clinical and commercial use, Tiwari-Woodruff explained.
Working with UIUC chemists Katzenellenbogen and Sung Hoon Kim, who created new versions of the molecule, Tiwari-Woodruff's group, led by recent UC Riverside graduate Micah Feri, screened more than 60 analogs of indazole chloride. From this effort, they identified two standout candidates, K102 and K110. Both showed better safety, efficacy, and drug-like characteristics in tests using mice and human cells.
Among the two, K102 emerged as the leading candidate. It not only stimulated myelin repair but also helped regulate immune activity, a critical balance for MS therapies. The compound also performed well in human oligodendrocytes -- cells responsible for producing myelin -- derived from induced pluripotent stem cells, suggesting the results could translate effectively from animal studies to human disease.
Normally, oligodendrocyte precursor cells develop into mature myelin-producing cells that repair nerve insulation. In MS, this repair process often breaks down, leading to lasting nerve damage. A compound like K102 that can restore myelin could help improve nerve signal transmission and potentially limit long-term disability.
"K110 is also a strong candidate," Tiwari-Woodruff said. "It has slightly different central nervous system effects and may be better suited for other conditions like spinal cord injury or traumatic brain injury, so we're keeping it in the pipeline."
From bench to biotech
Tiwari-Woodruff and Katzenellenbogen credit the National MS Society's Fast Forward program as a turning point. Fast Forward accelerates the commercialization of promising therapies by promoting academic-industry partnerships. The highly competitive grant enabled Tiwari-Woodruff and Katzenellenbogen to generate sufficient data to license the rights to Cadenza Bio to develop K102 and K110. The patents are jointly held by UCR and UIUC, with an exclusive, worldwide licensing agreement in place between the universities and Cadenza Bio.
"This project has been a good example of how long-standing academic collaborations can lead to real-world applications," Katzenellenbogen said. "Our shared goal was always to take a promising idea and develop it into a therapy that could help people with MS. We're finally getting close to that reality."
Initially, UCR's Office of Technology Partnerships collaborated with UIUC to seek patent protection. Grace Yee, assistant director of technology commercialization at UCR, said the joint efforts of UCR, UIUC, and the National MS Society advocated for and promoted the technology to investors and industry for commercial development.
"Our entrepreneurs-in-residence also helped advise the project, so the team was able to develop materials and messaging to highlight the project's commercial value," she said. "When investors expressed interest in the technology, UCR and UIUC helped them understand how the technology addresses an unmet need in treating MS. These efforts led to the licensing agreement with Cadenza Bio."
Elaine Hamm, chief operating officer at Cadenza Bio, said she and Carol Curtis, cofounder of Cadenza Bio, were impressed by the possibility of moving from slowing axon damage to repairing axon damage.
"This is the future we want to build," Hamm said. "It is why we licensed the technology, and why we are excited to move it forward to patients in need."
More than a decade in the making
Tiwari-Woodruff and Katzenellenbogen have worked together for more than 12 years. Tiwari-Woodruff's move from UCLA to UCR in 2014, she said, turned out to be a pivotal decision.
"The support from UCR -- from leadership to infrastructure -- has been extraordinary," Tiwari-Woodruff said. "None of this would've been possible without that backing. Funding for academic labs like mine and John's is crucial. This is selfless work, driven by a deep love of science and commitment to human health."
Though the initial focus is MS, the team believes K102 and K110 could eventually be applied to other diseases involving neuronal damage, including stroke and neurodegeneration.
Cadenza Bio is now advancing K102 through the necessary non-clinical studies required to support first-in-human clinical trials.
"We're hopeful that clinical trials can begin soon," said Tiwari-Woodruff. "It's been a long journey -- but this is what translational science is all about: turning discovery into real-world impact."
The research was also supported in part by grants from the National Institutes of Health and Cadenza Bio.
Tiwari-Woodruff, Katzenellenbogen, Kim, and Feri were joined in the research by Flavio D. Cardenas, Alyssa M. Anderson, Brandon T. Poole, Devang Deshpande, Shane Desfor, Kelley C. Atkinson, Stephanie R. Peterson, Moyinoluwa T. Ajayi, Fernando Beltran, Julio Tapia, and Martin I. Garcia-Castro of UCR; Kendall W. Nettles and Jerome C. Nwachukwu of The Scripps Research Institute, Florida; and David E. Martin and Curtis of Cadenza Bio, Oklahoma.
When men drink, women and children pay the price

A new global review led by La Trobe University has revealed the often-overlooked damage caused by men’s alcohol consumption to women and children, urging immediate policy action in Australia and around the world to address these gender-related harms.
The study, titled "Harms to Women and Children from Men's Alcohol Use: An Evidence Review and Directions for Policy," draws together data from three recent systematic reviews that analyzed 78 academic papers.
Worldwide, as many as one in three women in some countries live with a partner who drinks heavily. Children in these households are also at greater risk of violence, neglect, poor health, and limited opportunities later in life.
These negative effects are especially severe in low- and middle-income nations and in places where gender inequality remains high.
The research, led by Professor Anne-Marie Laslett of La Trobe’s Centre for Alcohol Policy Research (CAPR) and published by the global nonprofit research organization RTI International, found that men typically consume alcohol more heavily than women and are more likely to harm others when they drink.
As a result, women and children bear a disproportionate share of the consequences, including physical injuries, emotional distress, economic strain, and disruptions to schooling and family life.
"Research shows that the consequences of men's alcohol use extend far beyond the individual that drinks," Professor Laslett said.
"Women and children pay a heavy price, yet policies rarely take their experiences into account. This is a major gap in international public health and social policy."
Global data further indicates major differences between countries in how much and how often men and women drink. In many regions, these disparities make the impact of men’s alcohol use on women and children even more severe.
"Globally there has been poor recognition that others' drinking, and particularly men's drinking, contributes to many harms to women and children," Professor Laslett said.
"Social, cultural and economic policies, as well as alcohol-specific policies, need to change to ensure that they are responding to the harms to women and children highlighted in this review."
In Australia, the findings are particularly timely given growing national attention to domestic and family violence.
Alcohol's role in driving partner violence has been recognised in recent government reviews, with calls to strengthen regulation and prevention strategies.
Australia's Federal Government last year commissioned a rapid review that recommended addressing alcohol's regulatory environment.
The review emphasizes that while proven policies such as raising alcohol taxes, restricting availability, and limiting marketing remain essential, they should be paired with interventions that tackle harmful gender norms and empower women and children.
An intersectoral approach involving health, legal and social services is critical for meaningful change.
Professor Siri Hettige, a researcher from Sri Lanka's University of Columbo who collaborated on the project, said targeted, community-level interventions that addressed the realities faced by women and children were essential.
"Given the nature of the social context in which the harm to women and children from men's drinking occurs, interventions to reduce such harms might have to go beyond current alcohol policies," Professor Hettige said.